MORE  OFFICIAL LETTERS 

from the EMPOWERING 

CLERKS NETWORK  

    

 Second Collection! Includes 8729A Emergency Announcement regarding the Open Carry permit for musical instruments.   Center for Supportive Bureaucracy (LLE) BCLDM918023­A 

  

 

                                                 

 

  "I am still helped every day by my Forgiver's License which I carry in my wallet" 

­ Norman Fischer, Zen master, poet and author, one of the leading Buddhist teachers in the US  

 

“What was terrific about the forms that Ori prepared is that they were funny and accessible and                                 

allowed people to get to the essence or purpose of the Jewish High Holidays – Teshuva –without                                   

being tripped up by the unwieldy tool of the liturgy” 

­ Rabbi Brent Spodek, Beacon Hebrew Alliance 

 

"I gave a friend of mine, who is a hardworking singlemom, anOKParent Award. After she read it                                       

carefully she gave me a big hug of appreciation and said it really meant a lot to her and she                                       

thought all parents could benefit from it. Supportive bureaucracy is helping people by reminding                           

them that they are human and deserve to be acknowledged every day" 

­ Daniel Weise, Creative Director, Thundercut 

 

"Ori Alon is one of the most ethically responsible and deeply convincing skeptics since Jon                             

Stewart. His ECN is as if the The Daily Show opened a branch of government." 

­ Jean­Marc Superville Sovak, social entrepreneur artist 

 

"I've enjoyed having a tangible item to pull out and give tomy clients after a very serious therapy                                     

session about their present and past challenges. I love having a resource for people to validate                               

themselves when they feel written off by the world. A certificate, refurbished report card, or even a                                 

sticker can also be a nice transitional object and subtle reminder to the individual that it's going to                                   

be ok." 

­ K.N., clinical social worker 

 

“I love having a Forgiver’s License in my wallet. Whenever I look at it, it reminds me not to take                                       

things personally and to overlook potential insults. It’s my job to forgive others and to forgive                               

myself when I forget to forgive others. That’s what having a Forgiver's License means to me.” 

­ Herb Levine, teacher of Mussar, Jewish ethical mindfulness. 

 

"My high school diploma, driver’s license, passport actually say nothing real about me. Imagine                           

Vincent Van Gogh’s passport or the Rosa Parks driver’s license. You have an opportunity by                             

engaging ECN documents to arrive at a document that comesmighty close to who you really are                                 

and in your own eyes to boot.” 

­ Andrew Courtney, activist, Middle East dreamer 

  

 

                                                

 

 

  

   

 Dear reader, 

 The Empowering Clerks Network (ECN) is one of the largest                   

organizations offering Playful Paperwork documentation around           the world. Since its establishment in 2006 it provided more than                     32,000 official documents to recipients of services from many                 different backgrounds. In 2015 we expanded our operations               dramatically ­ 286% more services were offered, we reached a                   record of 311 points in our efficiency rate and we now rank amongst                         the hundred most fun entities in Compassionate America. Our office                   hours are offered irregularly around the country in collaboration with                   schools, social workers, religious communities, medical institutions and               Government officials. Our operations helped numerous recipients of               services and appeared in large media outlets including Facebook,                 Scribd and Weebly. 

President Obama is still working on his response to our letter                     regarding the establishment of the Federal Compassion Agency (FCA,)                 and though other Government officials have mostly ignored our letters                   (first collection available at www.supportivebureaucracy.org) we are             determined to reach a productive collaboration between the two                 entities. Here are some new and fruitful dialogues between the                   Empowering Clerks Network and the US Government.We wish you                   high efficiency and great joy reading. If you’d like to send a version of                           any of these letters to your local authorities please contact us.  

 With kindness, Ori Alon Executive Empowering Clerk, CSB    

 

                       

             

 

Ori AlonCenter for Supportive BureaucracyEmpowering Clerks NetworkDepartment of Education 

April 16th, 2016  

Dr. Joannes Sieverding Principal, Beacon High School 10 Education Drive Beacon, New York 12508 

 Dear Mr. Sieverding, 

 Thank you for your hard work of supervising the education and                     

values our children receive in school. The public schools system is one                       of America’s most valuable inventions, providing knowledge and care                 for millions of students. We hope that your work fills you with                       satisfaction and joy. It is public servants like you who make America                       as great as it is. We believe that a teacher is inevitably an artist,                           helping the child to discover what is hidden within him. True learning                       is one of the most magical things in human experience, and we                       hope that through your work you manage to facilitate many moments of                       magic. As an organization that values humanity, we envy the gift that                       you have of witnessing such wonderful moments. 

 While ideally childhood and school years can be a lovely                   

experience, many Americans remember their school years as a hard                   and often unpleasant experience. Some of us were bullied or didn’t do                       well academically, others learned not to confront unjust social norms or                     had their self­esteem decreased dramatically. In order to help our                   fellow citizens make the best possible self­growth out of their difficult                     school years experiences, the Empowering Clerks Network (ECN)               developed the Refurbished Report Card (RRC­202). It’s a simple                 form, that visually looks like a standard report card, and can be issued                         

 

with the assistance of a licensed Empowering Clerk in any ECN branch                       during office hours or without ECN supervision (CLPO­76).               Personally I was issued two RRC­202’s, one for my high school                     experience in which I had some hard time socially and one for my first                           grade experience in which I got punished for writing a bad word in my                           little yellow memo pad (see the CSB Official 2016 Catalog for the full                         story). Receiving both documents helped me tremendously to come to                   peace with these painful experiences, accept myself, have a better                   approach to life and to increase my joy distribution to my fellow                       human beings. Imagine what it would be like if every adult in America                         received a Refurbished Report Card… Luckily, there are many ways to                     issue a Refurbished Report Card, as the Empowering Clerks                 Network (ECN) regulations are quite flexible, and the form can be                     downloaded for free at www.supportivebureaucracy.org  

As you sure know, many of the things taught in the classroom                       don’t actually get written in a regular report card. The RRC­202 can                       provide recognition for personal, emotional, social or creative               achievements that weren’t acknowledged in the original report card or                   can provide an alternative experience for an actual school year, as an                       Empowering Clerk can provide better evaluation of existing classes                 (straight A’s, A+’s, A++’s, smileys, etc.) or even ‘make up’ classes that                       weren’t actually taught in that school, like friendship, self acceptance,                   love, etc. and provide better grades and more accurate evaluation                   for all classes. A reflection for classes that weren’t taught in school can                         be an enriching experience, for example I learned a lot about                     appreciating and developing my taste in literature and music during                   high school but never got any recognition for it, until I received my                         Refurbished Report Card for that year. An Empowering Clerk can                   use the same name as the original teacher or a new (‘pretend’)                       teacher can be nominated on the spot. Our records indicate that the                       youngest recipient of an RRC­202 was 9 years old and the oldest one ­                           ninety years old. So far almost all recipients of RRC­202 reported that                       the experience was highly beneficial for them. 

We'd like to offer a professional development opportunity to the                   Beacon City School District where teachers, parents and students will                   experience the power of receiving and issuing a Refurbished Report                   

 

Card for one or more of their school years. We would love to discuss                           the details of such an offer as we believe it will reflect our community                           values, reduce stress levels and increase systematic joy.  

   

With the joy of giving service, Ori Alon Education Department,  ECN 

 CC:  MaryEllen Elia, New York State Commissioner of Education         Brian D. Ray, Ph.D, National Home Education Research Institute          Marya Besharov, Cornell Higher Education Research Institute 

Ms. Kelly Pologe, Administrative Assistant, Beacon School District   

               

STAY TUNED!  Public events for teachers, kids and parents of issuing Refurbished Report Cards to one another will be held around the country at the end of the current school year. It might become an annual ECN Holiday, like the Love Yourself More Day, which occurs at the 26th of every month.   

 

       Joy Permits slips marinated with whipped tears  

ECN representative issuing Joy Permits, DIY Certificates of Recognition, process                   Forgiver’s Licenses applications and other official documents at a Trump rally in                       Poughkeepsie NY, April 2016.   

 

OKP­30088 Empowering Clerks Network Center for Supportive Bureaucracy Family Department  

RE: Your OK Parent Award Eligibility  Dear____________,   

ECN records indicate that by improving parenting skills crime                 rates can drop by 312% and happiness levels may rise to 143                       points. While approximately 81% of parents experience low               self­esteem for not being perfect parents, less than 0.0031% of                   parents qualify as perfect parents. A special committee nominated by                   the Empowering Clerks Network Health Department recently             declared the dire need to acknowledge OK parenting as essential                   to world peace, and to answer that need the Center for Supportive                       Bureaucracy (CSB) released the OK Parent Award. 

The award is meant to celebrate the tremendous effort needed                   in order to be an OK parent. It may be given to any parent who is not                                 actively engaged in damaging his or her children (following LOPQ­51                   

guidelines), and must be signed by           an authorized child or acquaintance         of the recipient. If you would like to               issue an OK Parent Award to           someone, you may use that copy,           visit us during office hours or order             a blank award at       www.supportivebureaucracy.org Remember! According to 716A,       Parenting is a lifelong journey.  

With ease,   ECN Family Department  

 

 

F­47(e) True Friend Diploma Notice Empowering Clerks Network Center for Supportive Bureaucracy Department of Friendship 

 RE: Your True Friend Diploma eligibility  Dear ________________,  

Our records indicate that you’ve acted in ways that make you                     qualified for an ECN True Friend Diploma, and Your friend                   _________________ chose to honor you with this official document.                 It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the honorable True                         Friend Club. Being a TFC member is an all­inclusive experience, as                     approximately 99.4% of human population is capable of joining the                   

club. Our members work hard         to welcome more members to         this Loving & Liable Entity         (LLE.) As a registered True         Friend, it is upon you to           show the various benefits of         friendship to fellow human       beings. By showing     appreciation for a friendship       you might create a ripple effect           that will end in a 17% growth of               the TFC membership. We       

hope that you will enjoy being a club member. Though it may come                         with difficulties at times, we'd like to reassure you that true                     friendship and self acceptance walk hand in hand. 

We would love to answer any questions regarding proper Playful                   Paperwork documentation. Please let us know if you have any                   questions!   

With blessings, ECN Friendship Department  

 

Ori AlonCenter for Supportive Bureaucracy Empowering Clerks Network Department of New Media 

 April 26th, 2016   Timothy B. Lennon NY DMV Deputy Commissioner for Operations and Customer Service 6 Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12228  Dear Deputy Lennon,  

 We'd like to congratulate you for your achievement of winning the                     

2015 national Pinnacle Award, honoring the dmv.ny.gov functional               and welcoming website. I was excited to hear this great news. It is                         service providers like you who make this country what it is, online or on                           line. As a grassroots bureaucratic organization that issues documents                 around the world, we are truly in awe of the high levels of efficiency                           and kind service reached by the NY DMV website and work hard to                         improve our own online services. You truly reached a level of                     perfection in providing service to New Yorkers.  

Perhaps you’ve heard about the Empowering Clerks Network               already. Like the DMV, we provide service to a diverse population, with                       deep faith in the goodness of the human race. We believe that                       kindness can benefit efficiency and self­growth. Our catalog of services                   includes similar items to those offered by the DMV ­ ID cards, various                         permits, deeds and stickers. Our staff of licensed Empowering Clerks                   offer various official documents such as the Forgiver’s License (Class                   A & B), Joy Permits, Refurbished Report Cards, Pain Deeds, DIY                     Certificates of Recognition, Open Carry permits for musical               instruments, Loving & Liable Entity (LLE) certifications, True Friend                 Diplomas, OK Parent Award, Karma Inspection and more. Many of our                     recipients of services report an increase in compassionate behavior                 

 

using their documents, for example a Zen master, a Rabbi, a therapist                       and many others reported using their Forgiver’s License and other                   official documents to experience more ease, joy, higher levels of                   compassion and self­esteem and increased efficiency rates. 

Like the DMV car inspection stickers, the ECN offers the                   popular ASAS­46, Adult Special Achievement Stickers. The             ASAS­46 allows adults to receive valuable recognition for their                 actions using stickers like Dealt With my Emotions in a Constructive                     Way, Exercise Champ, Caregiver of the Week, Surprised Myself                 Today, Did You Know? I’m Funny! and many more (A sample of                       ASAS­46 is attached to this letter). The demand for the ASAS­46 is                       so high that we have to constantly order more and more of them,                         and so far we’ve issued and distributed more than 25,000 stickers. We                       were truly surprised to find out that perhaps adults like stickers more                       than children.  

Since you’re the largest Government entity issuing stickers to the                   adult population, we wanted to know whether you’d be interested in a                       collaboration, which would allow both our organizations to provide                 more stickers together. Our Development Department has conducted               research regarding the possibility of issuing Adults Special               Achievement stickers together with DMV registration stickers, and               found some surprising data that you might be interested in exploring.  

We’d be interested in discussing the possibility further. We look                   forward to your response.  

  

Sincerely,  Ori Alon   Recognition Department, CSB 

       

 

               

   

 

                               PhD Diploma, Undergraduate Diploma and an OK Parent Award at a                     professor’s office at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie NY. Recipient claims to                   be indecisive regarding which document she’s the most proud of.   

 

Ori AlonCenter for Supportive Bureaucracy Empowering Clerks Network Department of Immigration  

June 21st, 2016  Secretary of State John F. Kerry U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520  Dear Secretary of State Kerry, 

 Attached is the official ECN Clown Visa. The document grants                   

adults and children permission to play, laugh and act joyfully according                     to regulations. 

We would like to know what are the US requirements for                     recognizing the ECN as an official entity that has the authority to add                         visas to US passports. Assuming the ECN answers these                 requirements, we need to know whether it’s OK to use disappearing                     

purple glue sticks (off­brand) to         glue Clown Visas in a standard           US Passport (we can discuss         the issue of diplomatic       passports afterwards).  Warm regards, Ori Alon Immigration Department, ECN    

Emergency Circus founder Clay Davis apply for             an ECN Clown Visa at Carl Hammerschlag, MD               and prophet Patch Adams’ Clowntown Healing           Fest in Phoenix, AZ  

 

Ori AlonCenter for Supportive BureaucracyEmpowering Clerks Network Department of New Ideas  

 May 11th, 2016 

 New York State Lottery, Customer Service Department P.O. Box 7500  Schenectady, NY 12301  Dear NY Lottery Customer Service, 

 Thank you for allowing millions of New Yorkers the possibility of                     

purchasing an affordable dream. By offering a piece of paper that                     reflects on its holder’s wishes to have financial ease, you are doing                       exactly what the ECN has been doing for so many years. Seeing how                         your organization produce pieces of paper that reflect people’s hopes                   with such efficiency inspires us. Thank you for being a living example                       of the power pieces of paper have on human beings.  

 Like the NY Lottery, the ECN also offers self­service stations,                   

in which people can issue their own documents and if needed get                       assistance from a licensed Empowering Clerk in order to certify their                     official documents (according to ECN regulations uncertified             documents are also valid.) In our stations people can apply for a                       Forgiver’s License and Happiness Insurance plan using Forms               601(c) and 77A, issue a Joy Permit, OK Parent Award, Pain Deed,                       True Friend Diploma and many other Playful Paperwork services.  

The ECN would like to collaborate with you, by adding Joy Permits                       to the NY Lottery self­service stations. Having people issue Joy                   Permits for one another can increase their happiness levels by                   

 

6.9%, (which may or may not be beneficial for you). We look forward to                           the possibility of discussing this idea in detail. 

 With sincere regards,   Ori Alon  ECN Executive Empowering Clerk 

 

ECN Self­Service station at the Howland Public Library, Beacon NY. If you do                         not have an ECN self­service near you, please contact your local branch or visit                           our online Document Download Center (DDC) at             www.supportivebureaucracy.org to use your home printer to answer various                 official needs for recognition, healing, forgiveness and others. 

   

 

LLE Approval Notice Empowering Clerks Network Center for Supportive Bureaucracy Department of Love  

RE: LOVING & LIABLE ENTITY STATUS ELIGIBILITY   

Dear____________,   

We would like to inform you that a special committee of the                       Empowering Clerks Network (ECN) found that an organization that                 you are actively invested in, ________________________ is eligible               for a Loving & Liable Entity certification (LLE). All entities                   established throughout history are a creation of our collective                 

imagination. It is incumbent       upon us, people who are         involved in shaping these       organizations, to make sure       these creatures of our       imagination behave in ways       that increase Global Well       Being. It is with genuine         pleasure that we issue this         certification, and we hope that         it’ll satisfy your valuable need         for recognition. Being part of a           

Loving & Liable Entity is one of the most satisfying states of being in                           human experience, and we are pleased to see a 17.4% increase in                       the worldwide sprouting of new LLEs since April 2014. LLEs are                     one of the most powerful and potent powers in the world and are                         vital to world peace.  

The CSB would like to thank you for your important work. It is                         people like you who make the world a better place.  

Sincerely,              ECN Validation Department 

 

 

 

  

 

 

            

  

 

Ori AlonCenter for Supportive BureaucracyEmpowering Clerks Network Department of Karma 

May 3rd, 2016  U.S. Department of Agriculture  1400 Independence Ave., S.W.  Washington, DC 20250  Dear USDA Services Department 

 Thank you for putting consumer experience at the top of your                     

priorities. I appreciate your dedication and work to make sure our food                       is safe, our workers are treated with respect, kindness and justice and                       that the food system is running smoothly and sustainably.  

Like the USDA, the ECN is also engaged in the regular, often                       repetitive work of certifying and inspecting documents. We offer a                   variety of services and certifications, and our reputation amongst                 Playful Paperwork recipients of services scores much higher than our                   competitors. As you probably know, we collaborate with the US                   Government on a regular basis, in the form of sending all sorts of                         offers to public servants and providing numerous ECSK2.0               (Empowering Clerks Starter Kit) to public workers. Just recently we                   issued Joy Permits to clerks at the NY Department of State. Our unique                         catalog is available at       www.supportivebureaucracy.org.   

Unfortunately, not all Government       offices are run as efficiently as the USDA.               Currently US citizens have no way to be               sure about the type of Karma of a               product or an action. Not only that, they               may even confuse good Karma for bad             Karma and vice versa, as the Karma             industry is highly unregulated. I am sure             

 

you agree that this is not the way we want to go as a country. We are contacting you to announce a new service of ours, which                       

is inspired by your highly effective public service, the famous and                     needed USDA Organic label. As of February 27th of this year, the                       Center for Supportive Bureaucracy started to offer training for Karma                   Inspectors (K1). K1s can certify objects, events and communities with                   the ‘Good Karma Certified’ label. We believe that like in the organic                       food market, our Government needs to inspect Karma content in                   each product or action for the benefit of the public. We hope to                         start a Federal Karma Inspection (FKI) program by Sept. of 2018, and                       in order to be prepared for that we need to: 1. Find a Government office that will want to work with us. 2. Improve our Good Karma Certified label design (perhaps buy a                   

better printer too). If you’re interested in helping us, kindly reply to this letter no later than                           August of 2018.   

 Warm regards, Ori Alon, ECN Product Quality Department 

  

           

  

CSB founder Alon issuing a Joy Permit and providing an Empowering                     Clerk training to a clerk at the NY Department of State 

 

   

 

 

Ori AlonCenter for Supportive BureaucracyEmpowering Clerks Network Department of Inspection  

May 17th, 2016  Honorable. Tracy Mackenzie Dutchess Family Court 50 Market Street Poughkeepsie, NY 12601  Dear Justice Mackenzie, 

 Thank you for inspiring the Empowering Clerks Network (ECN) to                   

develop a new document and establish a new agency. The Aunt &                       Uncle Adoption Agency (AUAA) now provides numerous people               with the opportunity to adopt an Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, Nephew,                   Niece or a grandparent. By allowing Chosen Family Members to                   receive an official documentation of their relationship status we can                   help more people reach the inevitable conclusion that we are all part                       of one big family. Attached are 24 pre­approved Chosen Family                   Affidavits, for the benefit of the citizens who visit the Dutchess County                       Family Court. If you find use for these official documents, we’d be                       happy to discuss with you the possibility of having the State of New                         York issuing these documents in collaboration with the ECN. 

 With love, Ori Alon Family Department, ECN 

 CC: Peter A. Palladino, Chief Clerk, Dutchess Family Court 

   

 

 

 

 

   

   

The Center for Supportive Bureaucracy Empowering Clerks Network (LLE) 

Special Affairs Committee EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT 8729A 

 January 30th, 2016 

 ATTENTION: MUSICIANS, ARTISTS AND MERRYMAKERS 

 

In light of recent events that have occurred in the United States                       and around the world the CSB and the ECN released an emergency                       statement, encouraging citizens of Ulster County and other counties                 who are licensed or unlicensed to carry a guitar, a fiddle, a banjo, a                           drum, a singing voice or any other musical instrument to PLEASE DO                       SO. An official permit to openly carry a musical instrument will be                       granted to those who are in need of such documentation, without                     background checks.  

As bureaucrats, we hold the power           to issue and authorize various official           Playful Paperwork documents. We urge         you, who are talented in producing music             and street art to responsibly take           advantage of your right. To ensure the             safety of yourself and others, make sure             you are comfortable and proficient with           your chosen instrument, and       knowledgeable of the laws in your region             regarding making music and when it is             legal to do it. Remember! your           

 

instrument has the power to surround hate and force it to                     surrender. All it takes is one good guy with a musical instrument to                         prevent a bad guy with a hateful mouth. Our country is currently                       flooded with hatred, and a special committee found that music in public                       spaces is one of the most efficient ways to eliminate it. 

 

The ECN would like to remind all official and unofficial peace                     officers and lovers of life, both active duty and retired, to please carry a                           guitar, a banjo, or just your singing voice, along with an open and                         courageous heart, whenever you leave your house. We are the thick                     green wave that is entrusted in keeping this country safe, and we must                         be prepared to act at any given moment.  

 With love, ECN Special Affairs Committee  

  

              

  In the midst of mass shootings and a gun violence epidemic, the Sheriff office of                             Ulster County, NY had released a statement encouraging citizens to carry                     firearms in the streets.  

 

   

 

 

▢ Yes, I support establishing the Federal Compassion Agency (FCA). ▢ I believe playful behavior among adults can decrease crime rates. ▢ I believe the FCA can save the average taxpayer over $219 a year. ▢ I think the US should be more influenced by Buddhist values. ▢ I am awesome. ▢ I would like to support the growth of my fellow human beings. ▢ Humor relaxes my nervous system. ▢ I don’t pay full attention when I fill out forms. Name: ____________________ Signature: _______________________ Random numbers and letters: _______________ Joy level (1­10): ____ A childhood memory: ________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________ A wish: _____________________________________ ____________________________________________  Thanks to Ana, Maayan, Sasha and Zakai. Thanks to Norman Fischer, Peter O’Kennedy, Michael O’Brien, Beacon                 Writers Group, Alison Rich, Alison Spodek, Certified Prophet Patch Adams,                   Alan Goldsmith, K.N., Yonatan & Elisheva, Gal Alon, Savta, Teafly, Yosaif                     August, Yoav Segall, Yoni Stadlin, Ginny Figlia and Zev Engelmayer.  ECN offers documents issuing workshops and events and custom Playful                   Paperwork documents design to various institutions. Please contact us at                   EmpoweringClerksNetwork@gmail.com for more information.   More from Alfassi Books community publishing house: Checkpoint Charlie,                 Patriot Act, Hitler & Me postage stamps comics series, The Magic Bagel                       interactive children’s book series, Third Temple ­ sort of stories, A Jew                       Killed, Terry, the Inappropriate Unicorn and more. www.alfassibooks.com  The ECN would appreciate your support! You can donate via PayPal to                       oribeacon@gmail.com or Pay it Forward to another cause. Thank you!   

 

   

The Center for Supportive       Bureaucracy has provided more       than 32,000 official documents to         thousands of recipients of services.         Our catalog includes Joy Permits,         Forgiver’s Licenses (Class A & B),           Adult Special Achievement stickers,       

OK Parent Award, True Friend Diploma, Aunt/Uncle             Adoption certificates, Clown Visas, Apology Declarations,           Refurbished Report Cards, DIY Certificates of           Recognition, Pain Deeds, Loving & Liable Entity (LLE)               certification and more. CSB founder Ori Alon lives in                 Beacon, NY with his wife and three kids. He’s an artist,                     teacher and a licensed Empowering Clerk.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I am still helped every day by my Forgiver's License” 

Norman Fischer, Zen master and Buddhist teacher  

"Alon’s ECN is as if the TheDaily Show opened a branch                       

of government." 

Jean­Marc Superville Sovak, social entrepreneur artist 

“I love having a resource for clients to validate themselves                   

when they feel written off by the world” 

K.N., clinical social worker